Hidden Memories
by katiBugsie
Summary: Years after tragedy struck,McIntyre finally has a life he loves. The love and support of family have helped him bury the memories of Korea but he is forced to relive the memories when he discovers they are the only way to save the girl he loves most.
1. Chapter 1

_**CHAPTER ONE: PICTURES ON THE WALL**_

_Trapper John McIntyre was walking down a path along a beach. The grainy white sand felt soft under his bare feet. He turned his head to watch as a wave crashed along the South Carolinian coast. The warm sun beat down on his face. A slight pressure on his arm made him turn. _

_"Honey, what are you thinking right now?" _

_The surgeon turned and ended up looking into a pair of penetrating green eyes. The eyes belonged to the most beautiful woman in the world. Her light brown hair was pulled loosely off her face and the yellow sundress showed off her tan skin. He puller her close to his side and was about to answer when the sound of giggles interrupted him. He turned to see two little girls trailing behind them. The little brunettes were laughing as they tried to jump into the footprints he was leaving. Their little legs were only able to carry them half the distance. He was unable to prevent the smile that lit up his whole face as his heart swelled with pride._

_"Trapper, your eyes are glowing." _

_Trapper looked down into the woman that had stolen his heart. Pulling her in front of him, he kissed her hard._

_"How can I not be? I'm the luckiest man alive." _

Trapper opened his eyes and found himself staring at a beige ceiling. He could feel the cotton blanket wrapped around his socks. All traces of the warm sun and the white sand were gone. A loud sigh escaped his lips as he turned in his bed and tried to fall back asleep, desperately trying to get back to the South Carolinian beach. Just as he was about to close his eyes again, a strong smell tickled the sensory glands in his nose. It took him a moment to realize that something was burning.

A split second later, the smoke detector went off. Trapper was out of bed in a flash and running down the steps. He was two steps from reaching the bottom of the steps when the alarm stopped ringing.

A loud "Shoot!" echoed from the kitchen.

Trapper smiled when he heard the familiar voice.

"Kat, you okay?" he called

"I'm fine Dad!" The response was loud and clear. "Dinner's almost ready."

Trapper winced, not daring to ask what had made the alarm go off. He walked around the living room, the image of his dream still fresh in his mind. His fingers traced the fingers of the walls of the small colonial house. It had been Louise's dream house. There were rumors that the Sons of Liberty had secretly met in the attic. The intrigue of the little house had stirred the history teacher's imagination. Trapper had always planned on buying it for her someday, but then Korea had happened and theirs lives had changed forever.

He had only bought the house two years ago, and it almost broke it heart that she wasn't here to share this little piece of history with him. God, he missed the days when he could hold her for as long as he wanted. The times when he held all three of girls at once and not having to let go until he was ready. Walking around the mix of modern furniture and restored eighteenth century walls, he stopped at the wall leading to the kitchen. Pictures covered the entire wall. His fingers traced the frame of the largest picture. Tears welled in his eyes as he stared at the four smiling faces looking back at him. They were the same people from his dream. Louise was even wearing the same yellow sundress and the girls were holding their sand buckets. Trapper touched Louise's smiling face them moved on to the girl sitting in his lap. Becky had been six years old. Everybody had always had said that she was the spitting image of her father. Trapper had never seen it, but after staring at the picture long enough, he could see the resemblance. When he thought about the last time he had gotten to hold his little girl, his heart almost broke again. It had been almost fifteen years now since he had seen his wife or daughter. The thought of Louise leaving him had never crossed his mind. At least, not the way that she had.

Things had been tough once he had gotten back from Korea. For one thing, the girls had a difficult time readjusting to their father being home. He had expected hugs and kisses when he got home, but Becky and Kathy had shied away. They were babies when he left and girls when he had returned. He had cried himself to sleep many nights when they were afraid to get their good night kisses.

An even harder adjustment had been telling Louise the truth. He had had every intention of never telling her of his exploits in Korea. One look from her piercing green eyes had him down on his knees telling her everything and begging for her forgiveness. He probably had looked at pitiful as Frank Burns. Louise had never been a typical housewife, She had a spirit and fire in her that was rare in the women he knew, one of the many reasons he loved her. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had taken the girls and left at that exact moment. Instead, she turned and looked and him with a sad smile on her _face._

_"I didn't marry you because you were a saint." _

_He had stared at her in disbelief,_

_"Honey, I didn't…." he stuttered._

_"You better show me what had all those nurses ogling over you," she responded._

That first night together had almost made Trapper forget about Korea and any of the women who had walked through the door of the Swamp. Things weren't perfect after that. Although Louise forgave his infidelity, she forced him to make up for it. Trapper had thrown his whole heart into being a faithful husband.

After a few months, the girls had gotten readjusted to having their daddy back home. They had him wrapped around their fingers so tight, that the little urchins had gotten just about everything they had wanted. He had gotten his job back at Boston General and continued on his upward track. His skills as a surgeon gave him fame and a salary he had never dreamed off. Trapper decided that it was time to take a vacation. Louise's sister had a beach house in South Carolina so he had brought his family down to the beach for a week.

During the first few days, Trapper couldn't recall a time when he had been so happy. Little did he know that his bliss would soon turn into a nightmare worse then anything he had seen in Korea.

During the fourth day of the trip, Kathy had come down with a fever in the middle of the night. Not wanting to leave his daughter's side, he had sent Louise to get a prescription filled. She had taken Becky with her. Trapper would never forget the knocking on the door he heard three hours later.

The policeman told a story about the car that they had discovered. It had slid off the road and ran straight into a tree. The woman and the little girl had probably died on impact. They hadn't felt a thing.

That was the moment when Trapper's world had crashed down around him. Nights of Drunken binges followed along with hangovers that prevented him from doing his work properly. None of his patients had suffered the results of his idiocy, but there had been some near misses. Trapper hadn't cared and that's how he lost his job and his daughter. Louise's parents had taken Kathy to their home fifteen minutes away and threatened to keep her away until he got his act straitened out. Trapper didn't care. He just let himself keep slipping farther and farther into his stupor. Nightmares that he hadn't suffered since Korea started returning, so he stopped sleeping. Only resting when he was drunk enough to pass out. The thoughts of just ending it all came more and more frequently.

One night when the thought of suicide was beginning to take over his mind, his front door flew open. He was so drunk that he couldn't even make out who had walked in.

_"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The voice struck a cord of familiarity in Trapper's mind, but he couldn't quite place it. _

_"Go away," he choked, spilling his drink onto the floor._

_"Damn you Trapper! Damn you! You are not going to not to treat that little girl the same way you treated me!" _

_:"Kathy will get over it. She's better without me…Wait a second, who are you?" _

_"Who am I? Remember the nights we spent chasing nurses around the compound….short sheeting Burn's bed….the nights we spent next to each other pulling entire arsenals out of kids' bodies…Do you remember the nights that you spent with me when I almost went crazy from the insanity of it all. Don't you dare tell me that you don't remember any of it!" _

_When the stranger had finished the tirade, there was a long silence. The wheels in Trapper's head were spinning._

_"Hawkeye?" He had asked in disbelief. The next moment he had sudden pain erupt through his face. It hurt so bad he fell back in the chair. His vision was blurry, but he saw Hawkeye rub his hand._

_"Yeah, its me you bastard. That's for leaving me in Korea without saying good-bye" _

_"Sorry," Trapper stuttered._

_Hawkeye's voice had softened. "Right now I'm going to help you get through this." _

Most friends come and go in life. Very few stick around to see if things turn alright. Hawkeye Pierce was one of those people. Trapper owed to his life to the man. Just like he had been there for him Korea, Hawkeye had been his shoulder to cry on. It had taken lots of work, but Trapper had slowly reentered the world. He looked at the second little girl in the picture and moved on the next frame on the wall.

Kathy was eight years old in the picture, and she was already looking like her mother. The little pink dress had mud stains on the front and messy curls were falling out of the tight bun on top of her head. It had been a nice attempt to make her look like a flower girl. It had gone all astray when she had chased Waggles through a mud puddle.

The battle to get Kathy back had been a part of his life that he would have liked to forget. When Hawkeye had helped him get his life back on track, He had realized that there was nothing left for him in Boston. The hospital had made it clear that they had no intention of hiring him back. Hawk had come to his rescue again. Daniel Pierce was getting close to retirement age and there was going to be an opening in the Crab Apple Cove for another doctor. Trapper found a small little house to start his life over again. The only thing left to do take his daughter with him.

Too bad life was not that easy. His father and mother in law were not willing to give their granddaughter up, and had already taken steps to obtain full custody of Kathy. He had already lost too many years with his youngest daughter, and he refused to loose anymore. An ugly custody battle soon followed. Insults and mean words were thrown by both sides. For a while, it looked like he was going to loose his daughter once and for all.

Hawkeye had stood by his side through it all, making inquires of his own. The charming doctor had gotten information out of the female judge. Trapper had never asked ho. He had decided that it was better that he didn't know. The judge had liked the idea of moving the child away from Boston into a small community well suited to raising a child. She had no doubt the child would be loved and well taken care of by her father and his friends, but her deciding factor was Kathy would have no female influence, one of the most important people needed to raising a little girl properly.

_:"God Hawk, I might as well give up now. Mary's a good grandma. I can't compete wit her."_

_"Think about how many boys wouldn't be raising their own families right now if you had had that attitude in Korea." _

_"I at least had some control over that. Where the hell am I going to find a female influence for Kathy in a month" _

_Hawkeye had gotten a mischievous look in his eye. _

_"You let me handle that Trap." The glint in his eye that Trapper knew all too well was back._

_"What are you thinking?" He asked._

_"You'll find out. Do think you could plane tickets for you and Kathy to come to Crab Apple cove in a few weeks?" _

_"I'll have to talk to Sally and Tom, but…." _

_"Good, make sure you got something nice for the two of you to wear. Got to go. I've have to find a plane ticket to New York." _

Trapper smiled at the memory. The absurdity at what happened next would never cease to amaze him. The events that led to the picture next to one of his little flower girl would remain one of his favorite memories. The picture was off center, thanks to Kathy's little hands and very armature photographer skills. The little girl's picture was a treasured item. The off centeredness only seemed to add more character to the already quirky subjects of the photo.

Two weeks after Hawkeye's mysterious conversation, Trapper found himself congratulating a bride. Major Margaret Houlihan ended her "army brat" traveling and made Crabapple Cove her permanent residence.

If somebody would have told Trapper that his old bunk mate would end up getting married to the head Nurse who had caused him so much grief, he would have laughed in their face Apparently things had happened after he left Korea. Even if this was true, Hawkeye's friends had been surprised to hear that the tow had kept in contact after the war. It hadn't prevented them from flocking to Crabapple Cove for the wedding. Trapper had been hesitant to see his old friends from Korea. Hawkeye had forgiven him for his less then noble departure, but would the others? The worry was unnecessary.

Klinger had shown up in an old bridesmaid dress. He stated that it was for old time's sake. Even Margaret had been unable to contain her laughter. It had surprised Trapper that he had stayed in Korea longer then anyone, but then one never knew what to expect from Klinger. His and his wife's search hadn't been in vain. They had found Soon Lee's mother, and returned with her to Toledo.

Old good Radar was there too. Unfortunately, life on the farm hadn't worked for him. The kid had sold the farm as soon as his mother had passed away and had moved to. Des Moines. The kid? Trapper would never be able to call him anything else, even through Radar was far from it. Like his old mentor, Radar had married a Midwestern beauty. If all the farm girls were anything like Loraine and Sarah, they liked men a little less on the intelligent side, but all heart on the other. At the time Radar had been working as A sheriff's deputy. Sarah was a lucky woman.

Trapper had never been a religious man, but that had never prevented him from counting Father Mulcahy on his list of people had admired the most. Leave it the quirky priest to turn something as terrible as loosing his hearing into a blessing. He now had hopes of starting his own school for hearing impaired kids.

The picture marked the first meeting between Trapper and the rest of the people. Charles Winchester, now he was a character. The man had to be the biggest walking contradiction Trapper had ever met. He had developed an instant distaste for the arrogant doctor. It didn't help that Charles had just been promoted to chief surgeon of Boston General, a job that Trapper had been pretty much been guaranteed, until well…Trapper didn't need to relive that part of life again. Just when he was about to confront the bastard face to face, something unexpected happened.

Ten minutes before the wedding procession began; one of the flower girls was missing. Trapper searched frantically for his daughter only to find the tearful little girl in the chief surgeons arms. Kathy was crying, because she had gotten dirty chasing the dog. Charles, with a look of complete seriousness on her face assured her that she still looked most beautiful. He helped her fix the flower barrette in her hair.

Mr. Houlihan, the bastard, hadn't been there to escort his youngest daughter down the isle. Margaret, the ever devoted daughter claimed that he had important business overseas, but Trapper knew it was a load of crap. The army man didn't approve of Hawkeye. Hawk wasn't the type of man that would sit down and let Houlihan walk all over him, not like the rest of the General's son in laws. Margaret's mother hadn't even been allowed into attend.

The honor of handing Margaret away had fallen to Coronal Sherman T. Potter. Trapper had been flabbergasted when he heard Hawk talk so highly of the man. Since when did Hawkeye Pierce, the man who made it his business to defy authority, look up to a regular army man? Within a few moments of meeting the tough as nails man, Trapper could see where Hawkeye's admiration came from. Potter seemed to demand respect as soon as he walked into a room, yet there a twinkle in eye that shone over the toughness. Sherman Potter had been outraged that Margaret's father had refused to come, yet tinkled pink that he was given the honor.

The last man in the picture was standing to his right…BJ HunnicutTrapper had wanted to hate the saintly doctor from Mill Valley. BJ was everything that Trapper had wanted. BJ was completely devoted to his wife. Hawkeye had told him tha the one time BJ had given in to the temptations of war, he had been sick for days. BJ had never abandoned his daughter like Trapper had. He had been able to help Hawkeye in a way that Trapper had been able too. Yes, Trapper Macintyre was jealous of BJ Hunnicut , and he had been content to live wit hit.

Too bad life wasn't that easy. Trapper had made up his mind that he would try and avoid the other doctor at all costs. Kathy had made that almost impossible. As soon as she had seen Erin she had basically adopted the younger girl as her little sister. The little girl's friendship had created an inevitable meeting between the parents.

. Trapper had never been so happy to eaten his words. He had founding hating BJ as impossible as liking Frank Burns. Speaking of good old Ferret Face, any man that could get the idiotic major to jump into a pit full of water deserved Trapper's respect. He expected BJ to look down on him for leaving Korea the way he had. The other doctor hadn't even mentioned it. The only time the conversation had come up between the two was ten years later, when BJ had sensed that his friend was willing to talk about it.

After the wedding, Trapper had returned home to beg for his daughter in court. His friend stood by his side the entire way, even taking the stand when he needed too. In classic Hawkeye fashion, the doctor had promised the judge that Kathy and her father would be welcome into his family. Margaret would be more then happy and was completely capable of mother role to Kathy when she needed it. The judge had spoken to Kathy who had spoken quite plainly that she wanted to live in Crabapple Cove. The judge granted the little girl's wishes. Louise's parents had not been happy, but they eventually gave Trapper their blessing, with stern promises that they would be watching to make sure their granddaughter was properly taken care of.

The rest of the pictures on the wall covered over ten years of life in Crabapple Cove. The Macintyres had been accepted almost immodesty into the small community and looked forward to the frequent gatherings of the members from MASH 4077. People always said that army friendships usually didn't last. It was typical that men would usually fall back into their ordinary lives, choosing to ignore the horrors of war and people that made those memories resurface. MASH 4077 had never followed typical procedures during the war. It was only fitting that they didn't when it was all over either. Crabapple Cove became the vacation spot for the families that had spread out across the country.

During his first four years in Crabapple Cove, Trapper had played the role of small town doctor alongside Hawkeye and his father. He had the honor of helping Margaret deliver her son when the father had been to distraught to even be in the same room. Now that was a story that Trapper enjoyed reliving.

_"Hawk, her contractions are getting faster! Will you come in here?" Trapper yelled from inside the small office._

_"Easy Margaret, you're doing just fine," Doctor Pierce the elder soothed._

_"I've delivered hundreds of babies before," Margaret huffed, obviously in pain and distress. "Make sure that the head is not…."_

_Daniel Pierce placed a hand gently on the woman's forehead._

_"Why don't you let me play doctor for a while?" he soothed gently._

_"Hawkeye, what are you doing?" Trapper asked as he walked into the room where his friend was waiting with Kathy. Hawkeye was laying on the floor._

_Kathy had rushed up as soon as she saw her father._

_"Daddy, I think Uncle Hawkeye's sick!" she exclaimed. "Do I have a cousin yet?" she asked excitedly._

_"Not yet honey," Trapper smiled. He knelt down next to his friend. Hawkeye was sweating almost as hard as Margaret._

_"You okay?" he asked. _

_"Does it look like I'm okay?" he asked. "God, I'm scared shitless right now." _

_Kathy giggled she heard the swearword._

_"After everything I've seen, after all the gruesome operations I've had to perform. Why can't I be there for my wife?" _

_"Don't worry about it Hawk," Trapper smiled. "They had to kick me out of the OR too. I almost punched the doctor out because I thought he was hurting Louise." _

_"Hey Trap?" Hawkeye asked._

_"Yeah?"_

_"Thanks." _

_A half an hour later, Hawkeye was sitting next to Margaret as she held on to their healthy newborn son, and he held on to her. Trapper couldn't stop himself from beaming._

_"Can you imagine what that kids going to be like? "the proud grandfather asked._

_"With a Houlihan and a Pierce for parents?" Trapper answered "God, that's kids going to be the first in line for the next war and filling the tank of the plane with jello before it leaves" _

_After making sure that the mother and baby were alright, Trapper left the Pierces alone and went to his own daughter. He picked her up and squeezed her hard, never quite getting over what joy children could bring._

Life had been good, but there just wasn't enough work in the small town for three skilled doctors. One day when Trapper was beginning to feel the constraints of his work, Hawkeye had come to him with a grand idea.

_"Hawkeye, you're crazy! We don't have the money or the manpower to start our own clinic!"_

_"Since when did you worry about details?" Hawk asked. "We always managed to pull it off before." _

_"That was in the army when I didn't give a damn about anything but getting home. I've got worry about Kathy. There's college coming up and…"_

_"She just started Middle school!" _

_"I don't care I've got to start planning. What happens to Margaret and Conner when you throw away your life savings?"_

_"I won't be throwing it away. I already talked to Margaret about it and she's game. In fact BJ was looking to move his family after what happened._

_"How are they doing?" Trapper asked growing serious._

_"You know Erin; she's little enough that she'll bounce back from the scare. Peg says she's fine too, but BJ wants to move. Next time those shots might not miss." _

_Trapper shuddered at the thought._

_"It's getting scary out there. God, when somebody shoots through your window for going to simple rally supporting civil rights…"_

_"It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better," Hawkeye answered. "But back on subject, if BJ were to move out here…"_

_"Hawkeye it isn't going to work!"_

_"Come on just let me show you what I'm thinking…."_

Hawkeye had been thinking about starting his own clinic in Crabapple Cove, and the thinking stage hadn't lasted long. Trapper looked up at another picture. It had been taken the day that the Henry Blake Memorial clinic had opened its doors. With three skilled head doctors, the clinic had eventually became one of the leading small medical centers in the upper northeastern states. It had grown so large that within a few years, a special children's wing was built on in honor of a woman who had dedicated her life to teaching children, Louise McIntyre. Blake Memorial's latest addition was a center for patients who had recently suffered depilating injuries, of course the clinic's administration had hired the most qualified man possible for the job. Father Mulcahy was now doing work that he loved.

The rest of the pictures were mostly of Kathy growing up. One of Trapper's favorite pictures consisted of Kathy, Erin, Conner….and Charles. Erin and Conner both had violins in their hands and Kathy was sitting at the piano. Charles was leaning over the piano and directing the trio.

Charles had never married. His cold elusive personality had made it difficult for him to get close to anyone, especially a woman. Charles claimed that it was imperative for him to be a successful chief surgeon. If he got allowed himself to grow close to anyone, the doctors would see him as soft and begin defying his authority. His attitude completely changed when he was with the two girls and Conner. Charles loved the kids, probably as much as their parents did. It was if all of Charles's emotions had been reserved for Kathy, Erin and Hawkeye. He would fly in from Boston for concerts and recitals, and never dreamed about missing a birthday. He had insisted on getting the children instruments and finding the best quality teachers that Crabapple Cove had to offer. It wasn't long before he was declaring that his young protégés were better then anyone else in the state.

The picture next the musical ensemble was of Kathy during her freshmen year of high school. God, that was the year she had really gotten to look like her mother. That was also the year that Kathy had turned into Kat.

_"Kathy, don't you have homework?" _

_"I finished it two hours ago Dad. It was too easy. I know more than that stupid teacher does. She had no idea that I…"_

_"Kathy Louise Macintyre, if I get a call one more time about you playing another joke in school.' _

_"Come on Dad, they were all harmless." _

_"Putting Vaseline on Robert Walter's locker dial so he couldn't open it?"_

_"Walters deserved it. He's a bully." _

_"Unscrewing the hinges on Mr. Tominson's chair?" _

_"He's got to be the meanest man I've ever met. Did you know that he was in the Marines? He expects us all to act like he's some kind of general or something."_

_Trapper couldn't blame his daughter. Everything she told him was true. Kathy was also part of a very smart group of kids. So smart that they got bored of the work they were supposed to be dong, and had to find other ways to use their minds. Unfortunately it was getting into trouble. _

"_Who gave you the idea to unscrew the chair?" Trapper asked, already knowing the answer. _

"_Hawkeye suggested it. BJ told me how to do it," the girl confirmed. "They said that you used to do it in Korea. " _

"_What did they tell you about Korea? "Trapper asked suddenly on his guard _

"_Nothing," Kathy sighed. "None of you will tell tell me anything about Korea." _

"_Kathy, its not something I like to talk about," Trapper explained to daughter. "I promise that when you're…"_

"_older, you'll tell me how about it," Kathy finished. "Could you just tell me some more of the jokes you used to play on Frank Burns?" she asked hopefully._

"_No, because I do not want to end up sitting in the Principal's office again watching him add another red mark to Kahy Macintyre's permanent record." _

"_Hey Dad, about this whole Kathy thing," _

"_What about it? It's your name," Trapper stated, confused._

"_Well yeah, but everybody in school has started calling me Kat." _

"_What's wrong with Kathy? It was your mother's favorite name." _

"_It's fine, if you like old fashioned names…'  
"How is it old fashioned?" Trapper asked._

"_Come on Dad, I sound like I should be a housewife or something."_

"Kat' was anything, but a housewife. A few months before her high school graduation, Kath made it clear that she had no plans to get married like many of her friends. She would be joining the growing number of girls to go to college. But she would not just be going to any school. She had broken the news at her graduation party, which had served the purpose for yet another MASH reunion.

_"I'm going a doctor!' Kat exclaimed._

_"What are you talking about?" Trapper asked, flabbergasted._

_"I know I told you that I was going to school to be a teacher, but I was afraid you wouldn't listen._

_"Kat, I know you are a smart kid, but do realize what it takes to get into a good premed program…" Hawkeye asked her, just as surprised as her father. "Besides the University of Maine doesn't even have a premed program." _

_"I'm not going to the University of Maine," Kat stated. She locked eyes with Charles. "I'm going to Boston College." _

_Charles smiled. _

_"As new facility head of the prestigious Boston College Medical department, I am pleased to welcome Ms. Kathy Macintyre into our program." _

_'But wait.. the visits, the papers…"Trapper stuttered. "You need a parent's permission to…"_

_"I signed on for the mother role when she was little," Margaret smiled. "I thought I'd play role as she got older too." _

_"Good for you Margaret. Congratulations Kat. I knew you would get in," Peg smiled._

_"You knew about this?" BJ looked at his wife. "and you didn't tell me?" _

_"And what would you have done if I would have told you?" Peg asked._

_"I would have told her that she was making a mistake, that…"_

_"You've always told her that she could be anything…" Margaret looked at the men in the room. "Yet when she tries to do something new, you tell her that its not her place."_

_"I never said that…"Trapper stated. He could only stare at his daughter. She had one all this behind his back._

_"Dad, Cornel, talk some sense into her…" Hawkeye looked at the two older men sitting on the couch,_

_'I helped her write her application letter son," Daniel stated. "What do you want me to say?" _

_Sherman Potter just leaned back against his wife and started to laugh._

_She really pulled one over all your eyes didn't' she?" He looked at Katy seriously. "Are you sure this is what you want to do my dear?" _

_Kathy nodded her head._

_"You're not just doing this to prove anything to society, to prove your father and us men that you can do it." _

_"I want to help people," Kat answered sincerely. "I want to heal thim._

_Potter smiled. _

_"I like the sound of adding another doctor to Blake. You guys are getting awfully old."_

It hadn't been that Trapper, Hawkeye, and BJ were against female doctors, or females entering more prestigious lines of work, they just hadn't been ready for Kat to do it. Trapper wasn't ready to let her out into a world dominated by man. He knew the ridicule that his daughter was likely to face. He wasn't about to leave her alone in Boston.

Charles, bless his heart and its occasional unthaw, had expected this. He had left his post as chief surgeon to take on the job at the College. But before he had left, he had made sure that he got to name his successor.

As much as Trapper loved Crab Apple Cove, he often felt cramped in the small

town. He missed the big city excitement of Boston. As soon as Kathy was settled, he planned on moving back to the big city. Charles had helped progressed the move home. One day when Trapper was watching his daughter back up her things and trying to figure out the best way to tell her that he wasn't going to let her go. Charles had called him and offered him his vacant position.

That was how he ended up here today, staring at the pictures on the wall, recalling how he had gotten here. Kathy had breezed through her premed undergraduate, and was now just about to finish her first year of med school second in her class. The highest rank a woman had achieved yet in the program. He couldn't have been more proud of her. She was the also the pride of Blake Memorial and Crab Apple Cove.

"Dad, supper's ready."

Trapper turned his head to see a petite brunette standing in the doorway. Her long hair was pulled off her face, revealing a pair of green eyes. The image of a similar pair of eyes burned in his memories. He thought about his dream and sighed.

"I'll be there in a second," he told Kat.

Trapper's eyes scanned the photos one more time, starting with the one of his family. There would always be a hole in heart, a spot that had once been filled with the love of two very special girls. He moved on to the frames. No doctor would ever be able to fix that hole, but his friends…his family…had been able to heal the other parts of him. His life hadn't been prefect, but then whose ever was? Recalling the dream and that he needed to call Hawkeye tonight, he smiled. Life was good.

Trapper finally took his eyes off the wall and walked into the kitchen.

**COMING SOON:**

CHAPTER TWO: ECHOS OF KOREA

_EXCERPT:_

Trapper walked into the house, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. God, he was tired. Tired, but proud. His staff had preformed wonderfully. They hadn't lost a single patient. One of the youngest, Blake Saunders, had done especially well. Maybe it was personal bias, but he had thought Anderson had looked rather sluggish in surgery.

Trapper smiled when he saw the lamp was still on. Kathy was lying on the couch, sound asleep. Her anatomy book was still clutched in her hands. He quietly walked over and pulled the throw off the couch and draped it over his daughter. He grabbed the book and gently pulled it out of her hand. A leaflet fell out of one of the pages and fluttered to the carpet.

The pamphlet made the man's blood run cold. The front cover revealed an attractive blond nurse in a tight fitting army uniform helping an equally good-looking solider to his feet. Both of them were smiling, even though fighter planes were flying overhead.

"Where did she get this?" Trapper whispered aloud, looking at Kat. She was still sleeping peacefully.

He flipped through the recruitment sheet with scorn. It was filled with the usual military propaganda, help save the greatest civilization the world has ever seen, meet attractive people, and earn the eternal respect and gratitude of a nation that would take care of you for life. Trapper had heard it all before and it remained the biggest load of crap ever.

He felt his heart stop when he turned it to last cover. There was handwritten note in the corner.

Trapper walked into the house, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. God, he was tired. Tired, but proud. His staff had preformed wonderfully. They hadn't lost a single patient. One of the youngest, Blake Saunders, had done especially well. Maybe it was personal bias, but he had thought Anderson had looked rather sluggish in surgery.

Trapper smiled when he saw the lamp was still on. Kathy was lying on the couch, sound asleep. Her anatomy book was still clutched in her hands. He quietly walked over and pulled the throw off the couch and draped it over his daughter. He grabbed the book and gently pulled it out of her hand. A leaflet fell out of one of the pages and fluttered to the carpet.

The pamphlet made the man's blood run cold. The front cover revealed an attractive blond nurse in a tight fitting army uniform helping an equally good-looking solider to his feet. Both of them were smiling, even though fighter planes were flying overhead.

"Where did she get this?" Trapper whispered aloud, looking at Kat. She was still sleeping peacefully.

He flipped through the recruitment sheet with scorn. It was filled with the usual military propaganda, help save the greatest civilization the world has ever seen, meet attractive people, and earn the eternal respect and gratitude of a nation that would take care of you for life. Trapper had heard it all before and it remained the biggest load of crap ever.

He felt his heart stop when he turned it to last cover. There was handwritten note in the corner.

Trapper walked into the house, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. God, he was tired. Tired, but proud. His staff had preformed wonderfully. They hadn't lost a single patient. One of the youngest, Blake Saunders, had done especially well. Maybe it was personal bias, but he had thought Anderson had looked rather sluggish in surgery.

Trapper smiled when he saw the lamp was still on. Kathy was lying on the couch, sound asleep. Her anatomy book was still clutched in her hands. He quietly walked over and pulled the throw off the couch and draped it over his daughter. He grabbed the book and gently pulled it out of her hand. A leaflet fell out of one of the pages and fluttered to the carpet.

The pamphlet made the man's blood run cold. The front cover revealed an attractive blond nurse in a tight fitting army uniform helping an equally good-looking solider to his feet. Both of them were smiling, even though fighter planes were flying overhead.

"Where did she get this?" Trapper whispered aloud, looking at Kat. She was still sleeping peacefully.

He flipped through the recruitment sheet with scorn. It was filled with the usual military propaganda, help save the greatest civilization the world has ever seen, meet attractive people, and earn the eternal respect and gratitude of a nation that would take care of you for life. Trapper had heard it all before and it remained the biggest load of crap ever.

He felt his heart stop when he turned it to last cover. There was handwritten note in the corner.

**If you have any questions, please call me anytime. I look forward to hearing from you soon. **

** Lt. Cornel Frank Burns **


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO: ECHOS OF KOREA

Trapper walked into the kitchen. He instantly had to fight the gagging reaction that threatened to escape his throat. The smoke from the burnt meat made it eyes start watering, although the cracked window was helping rid the room of the odor. The culprit, a burnt slab of turkey, was sitting in the middle of a table set for two. His next sense to be aroused was his hearing. The radio, perched in the corner of the oak counter boomed.

"President Johnson appeared before Congress today, pressuring them to send more troops to the already stricken Vietnam border. In other news, medical staff have reported an overwhelming shortage of doctors and trained nurses. The causalities are piling up due to the heavy shelling of…"

"Turn that off, will you Kat?" Trapper asked, grabbing the final bowl of corn and sitting down at the table.

For a second, Kat looked like she was going to protest, but decided against it. She turned the switch on it off and sat down.

"So how were classes today?" Trapper asked pleasantly, taking a large helping of the burnt meat.

Kat hesitated as if thinking hard about what she was going to say.

"You know that they're really hurting over there. There aren't enough doctors to take care of all the wounded. Soldiers aren't sure what they're supposed to be doing over there, and when they get hurt , nobody can take care of them. Boys are dying that shouldn't be.

Trapper's face clouded with fury.

"There are two things that you can always be sure of in war, boys that don't know what the hell they are supposed to be doing and not enough doctors to make up for the stupid decisions of the brass. Damn, it's happening all over again!"

Kat stared at him; her eyes were wide with amazement.

"Dad, I…." she started to say.

Trapper realized that he had slipped up. He plastered a smile on his face and took a large bite of the turkey. Once again he had to fight the gag reflex.

"This is really good, honey."

Kat sighed exasperatedly

"Right," she rolled her eyes. She picked up the knife and tried to carve around the uneatable portions of the turkey.

"You could have woken me up," Trapper stated after taking a large gulp of milk. It helped dilute some of the awful flavor in his mouth. "I would have cooked."

"Damnit!" she swore, throwing her silverware onto the table. "How am I ever going to be able to take care of a family if I can't even cook a simple dinner?"

Trapper stared at her dumbfounded.

"Ummm honey, did you have a bad day?" he asked, not quite sure what else to say. Since when did the thoughts of a family ever run through his daughter's head?

"If you consider the fact that I don't know how to run a household, then yes, I've had a bad day!" There were tears starting to well up in his daughter's eyes.

_"Jesus," _Trapper thought to himself. "_Where are Margaret and Peg when you need them?" _He put down his own silverware and looked at Kat.

"Honey, what's really wrong?" he asked calmly. Years of raising his high strung daughter had taught him one thing. Keeping your cool was the only way to get through to her. Still, Margaret was better at handling situations like this.

"Nothing," Kat sighed, feeding on the calmness of her father. "It's just that…well…you wouldn't understand."

"Try me," he challenged.

"Marcus Anderson proposed to Melanie yesterday," she stated.

Trapper racked his brain to try and understand why this occasion would make his daughter so upset. Melanie, a twenty-two year old receptionist at the hospital, was one of Kat's best friends. Anderson was currently doing his residency. Anderson was a good looking kid. Even Kat…._Oh man! _Trapper realized why his daughter was so upset.

"Kat, just because…."

"What guy is ever going to like me when there's girls like Melanie Thomas around. She's pretty, quiet, and she'll make a good wife. As soon as they get married, she'll quit her job and be content to stay at home with their perfect kids and…."

"Just wait a second…" Trapper tried to interrupt, but to no avail.

"I don't know when to close my big mouth. I'm too opinionated. Men want women who can clean the house and have a nice supper when they get home. No guy would…"

"You're mom was an awful cook,' Trapper stated quietly. The tirade stopped.

"What?" Kat asked.

"There was this one time she tried to make a cake for my birthday. While it was cooking, she started to read some history book that she had gotten at the library. She got so caught up in the book that she forgot about the cake. When I say the cake, I thought it was a chocolate. Turns out it was supposed to vanilla.'

"Really?" Kat asked, a smile starting to form at the corner of her lips. The way it always did when Trapper would occasionally tell stories of Louise.

"The first year we were married, I constantly had to walk behind her in the kitchen to make sure that he had added the right ingredients or forget about the kettles on the stovetop. Finally she just gave up and told me to cook. While I cooked, she sat at the table and worked on her lesson plans." Trapper smiled at the memory. .

"I didn't marry her cause she could cook supper. First time I met her was when I debated her in a freshmen political science class at Dartmouth. She was the only girl in the class and didn't know when to keep her mouth closed."

Kat's whole face lit up. That smile had gotten to him since the first time he had held her. Louise had always told him that it was his smile. She could always see past the apparent innocence by looking in his eyes. His eyes told when there was some mischievous thought forming in his hand. Maybe his daughter had inherited his smile, but she was Louise in looks. Every day Kat looked more and more like the beautiful woman he had married.

'If all Anderson wants if a pretty face and a chicken dinner when he gets home, then he isn't worth your time," he stated. "Besides when you become a famous doctor and make thousands of dollars each time you go into the OR, you can hire somebody to make dinner for you."

During the conversation Trapper forgot about the food on his plate. Without looking, he took and especially large piece of meat and put it in his mouth. This time he was unable to prevent himself from coughing. He started gagging so hard, his eyes started to water. Kat pushed a glass of water towards him.

Finally, Trapper was able to breathe normally again and only small traces of the horrible taste remained.

He looked up and met Kat's eye. They both started laughing.

"Sandy's?" Trapper asked.

"Pizza sounds good," Kat responded. "What do we do with all this food?"

"Keep it, we'll give it that stray that comes around here." He got up from the table and started picking up the food. He walked across the kitchen and put it in the fridge.

"Great," Kat answered, rolling her eyes. "If I end up flunking out of med school, at least I can seek out a career making dog food."

"That's the spirit," Trapper chuckled.

Kat walked into the living room, most likely to get her coat out of the closet. Trapper was about to follow her when the phone rang.

He grabbed it out of its cradle on the third ring.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Doctor Macintyre?"

"No its Joseph Heller," Trapper smirked.

"Huh?"

"Never mind Blake," he sighed. "What's the problem?"

"There was just an eight car pile up on the interstate. We're swamped with causalities!"

"Damn" Trapper swore. "How many of them are there?  
"Thirteen and the other six we sent down to Boston Mercy. Three of them…well they're not on their trip to the hospital," Brad's voice got low.

Trapper felt his stomach knot.

'How bad?"

"We've got at least four people that are in pretty bad shape. There's a thirteen year old boy in here who…"

"Never mind, I'm on my way," Trapper answered. "Give me fifteen minutes."

He hung open the phone just as Kat was walking in. She was holding his coat in her arms.

"Honey, I…"

'I heard," she answered. "Get moving so you can help that kid.."

He grabbed the coat out of her hands.

"Pretty soon, you'll be dong this, saving people's lives."

"I can't wait," Kat answered with a mischievous smile. Trapper smiled when he heard the enthusiasm in her voice. Even though he was getting old, he could feel the adrenaline in his veins start pumping. It was the thrill of being a doctor.

"What will you do for supper?" he asked.

"I'll walk down to Sandy's myself. Maybe I'll stop by Rita's house and see if she wants to come. Then I'll come home and study for that beast of an anatomy test tomorrow.

"One of Professor Winchester's tests?" Trapper smiled

Kat nodded her head.

Trapped leaned down slightly and kissed his daughter on the check. "Have a good night," he told her, before sprinting towards the kitchen door that would lead him the garage.

"Make sure you dress warm," Kat called, "its getting cold out there.

"Yes Mom,' Trapper called back.

"And eat something before you go into surgery, your not gong to operating at your best on an empty stomach.

'Yes Doctor!" Trapper chuckled before closing the door behind him.

Trapper walked into the house, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. God, he was tired. Tired, but proud. His staff had preformed wonderfully. They hadn't lost a single patient. One of the youngest, Blake Saunders, had done especially well. Maybe it was personal bias, but he had thought Anderson had looked rather sluggish in surgery..

Trapper smiled when he saw the lamp was still on. Kathy was lying on the couch, sound asleep. Her anatomy book was still clutched in her hands. He quietly walked over and pulled the throw off the couch and draped it over his daughter. He grabbed the book and gently pulled it out of her hand. A leaflet fell out of one of the pages and fluttered to the carpet.

The pamphlet made the man's blood run cold. The front cover revealed an attractive blond nurse in a tight fitting army uniform helping an equally good-looking solider to his feet. Both of them were smiling, even though fighter planes were flying overhead.

"Where did she get this?" Trapper whispered aloud, looking at Kat. She was still sleeping peacefully.

He flipped through the recruitment sheet with scorn. It was filled with the usual military propaganda, help save the greatest civilization the world has ever seen, meet attractive people, and earn the eternal respect and gratitude of a nation that would take care of you for life. Trapper had heard it all before and it remained the biggest load of crap ever.

He felt his heart stop when he turned it to last cover. There was handwritten note in the corner.

**If you have any questions, please call me anytime. I look forward to hearing from you soon.**

**Lt. Cornel Frank Burns **

For a few seconds, Trapper was frozen in place. He slowly felt his body start tp shake. He hadn't heard a word about the former major in over ten years. Now that he thought about it, he remembered that Margaret had mentioned that Old Ferret Face had been promoted and was now in charge of some big army recruiting center. They had all laughed about it at the time. The army must be rough shape if they put a man like Frank Burns in charge of convincing people to join.

Trapper wasn't laughing now.

"What the hell is he doing in Boston?" Trapper asked quietly.

Kat stirred slightly on the coach, but didn't wake up. Trapper watched her for a few moments. It was hard to believe that she was already a woman. She still looked so sweet and innocent cuddled up in a ball. His shock quickly turned into anger.

Who the hell did Frank Burns thing he was? Kat had to have told him her name. Oh, Trapper could just picture what went on in the little rat's mind. Here was the change to get back at the man who had made his live hell in Korea. What perfect revenge for the doctor who had basically destroyed his reputation. Yes, recruit the innocent daughter. Get her to join the army, and absolutely devastate her father.

Trapper looked at the bottom of the not. There was a phone number for the office scribbled under the signature. He looked at the clock. It was after one o clock. He doubted that anyone would still be in the office, but he didn't care.

He walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone, not even bothering to turn on a light. He punched the number into the phone. It rang four times.

"Hello?" A groggy, but all too familiar voice answered.

Frank Burns was lucky that there was at least fifteen miles between him and Trapper right now.

'Hello Frank," Trapper answered. His voice was sweet, but laced wit heavy sarcasm. "Sleeping at the Office? Did your wife finally learn about the secretary and kick you out?

"Who is this?" Frank answered, angrily. Then as if he had thought about something. His tone changed completely.

"We just went out to dinner, honest. Nothing happened. You can tell Louise that she doesn't need to pay you to snoop…"

Trapper laughed loudly. Some things never changed.

"McIntyre?" Frank asked in complete disbelief. "Is that you?"

"No Frank. This is your conscious speaking to you," Trapper answered.

"How did you get this number Mister?" Frank was furious once again.

"Maybe from one of the little girls you are putting lies into their heads. You know the glory of war, and whatever crap they've told you to say.

"You can't talk to me like that! I'm a Colonel and I demand respect!"

"You didn't get in when you were a major. What makes you think that you're going to get it now?"

"Did you call just to harass me?" Frank growled. "Because if you are I could have you…"

"Court marshaled?" Trapper supplied with a slight chuckle. He could just picture Frank's face right now. He imagined that his lips had but disappeared by now.

Frank grew quiet as if he realized the absurdity of the statement.

"I called to warn you to stay away from my little girl!" Trapper growled.

"Are you threatening me? Because if you are…what about your girl?"  
"Don't play games with me Ferret Face, I found a pamphlet for nurses in her stuff and it had your slimy fingerprints all over it."

"I don't know what your talking about!"

Trapper clenched his free fist.

"I'm only going to warn you once Frank. Stay away from Kathy! Hawkeye Pierce isn't around to keep me from killing you this time."

"I've only recruited one nurse since I've been here and she was not called Kathy Macintyre.

"Oh really?" Trapper asked voice dangerously sweet. "Then what was her name?"  
"I don't have to tell you anything."

"You won't be able to tell anybody anything, because I'm going to tear out your tongue!"

:"Louise something…" Frank stuttered. "I remember that name because it's my wife's."

Trapper had opened his mouth to utter another threat then stopped.

"Louise what?" he asked quietly.

"I don't remember, something with a T, I think."

Trapper's heart sank.

"Terry?" he asked.

"Yeah, that was it," Frank answered happily. "Pretty girl, just started med school. Its nice to see that not all them have ended up like you Macintyre! There are still kids who are willing to serve…"

Trapper didn't hear the rest of the sentence. He hung up with the phone, not believing what he had just heard. "She couldn't have," he stated aloud.

"Yes, she could have," a voice responded.

Trapper turned to see a very groggy Kat standing in the doorway. He could only stare at her in disbelief. The stress that he had relieved by yelling at Frank had come back.

"Sit," he demanded, pointing at the kitchen table.

Kat opened her mouth to protest, but seemed to think better of it. She quietly sat down in one of the chairs, not looking her father in the eye.

Trapper worked hard to keep control over himself. "_You're just only to make her fly off the handle if you start yelling at her."_

"Why?" he asked the simple one word question.

"Because men are dying over there, people that I can help save. Its my responsibility, my duty, to help wherever I can."

"Burns tell you that?" Trapper asked, remembering the cock and bull speeches Frank used to give to the wounded in Post-op.

"No!" Kat answered. "Look, I knew what you are going to say, but I've really looked into this. I'm not qualified yet to be a surgeon, but I could work as a nurse or a medic…"

"A medic!" Trapper completely lost it. "Over my dead body! There is no way that I am going to let them put you at the front lines." He shuddered at the thought.

Now it was Kat's turn to loose her cool.

"I don't need your permission!" she yelled. "I'm almost twenty one years old and I'm not a kid that you can order around anymore!"

"Would you really do that to me?" Trapper asked, not lowering his voice. "Put me through the hell of war all over again. Do you have any idea what I've been through?"

"NO!" Kat screamed. "That's just it Dad. You've never told me anything about Korea. I have no idea what you've been through. Hawkeye, BJ, nobody will tell me anything. I even tried talking Radar and he won't even tell me anything. For all I know, all you did was go over to cheat on mom!"

"You don't…." Trapper shut his mouth fast. "What are talking about?"

'I found Mom's journal when we were packing up to move to Crabapple Cove. Back then I didn't understand half the things she way saying, but now I do."

Trapper had lost control of himself very few times in life, and he was on the verge of it now.

"So is this your way of getting back at me? Make friends with one of the men I hate worst in the war and then go and get yourself killed in this stupid war and make your father go crazy?"

"Yes that's it," Kat hissed. "I want to see my father end up in the loony bin. She pushed past him and ran up the stairs. Trapper didn't move until he heard the door slam.

He sighed heavily and walked into the living room.

"I'm an idiot," he stated, rubbing his tired eyes and aching head. He almost tripped over the piano bench. He stopped and placed his hands the instrument. So many happy memories had revolved around this piano, Charles, standing over Conner as he struggled through a difficult Bach composition for a recital, offering words of encouragement. An exhausted BJ sitting on the bench pounding on chopsticks for the hundred time, a little girl on each side of him. Both girls stated they weren't going to bed until they had learned the song. Trapper lifted the seat of the bench up to reveal a hidden compartment. This was Hawkeye's hiding spot where he hid piano solos from musicians like Count Basie and Duke Ellington, music that Charles certainty would not approve of for his little trio of classic musicians. Life had been so easy then. Why did kids have to grow up? Wasn't one war enough? "

These questions rushed through his head as Trapper collapsed into the overstuffed armchair. Within a few minutes, the exhaustion finally took over and he fell asleep.

_Trapper was standing in the OR and realized he was back in Korea. It had been years since he had been here, but the images remained fresh in his mind. Hawkeye was standing in front of the table across from him, calmly asking for instruments. Klinger and Radar were constantly carrying stretchers to replace the men who had had already been operated on, fueling the never ending assembly line of carnage and gore. Henry, he assumed had his back turned to him. The image of his old friend, still alive sent fresh waves of pain through his heart. Frank was facing him, sweat pouring off his forehead. _

_"Poor kid," Trapper thought._

_Trapper's eyes continued through the OR and stopped at the operating table he usually claimed as his. In his typical nightmares, he always saw himself standing there desperately tying to remove the alien objects sapping the life out of another kid._

_"BAM," A bomb exploded only feet away from the old building._

_The lights flicked out and screams echoed throughout the room. Trapper shuddered. It was always the same. He dreaded when the yelling stopped and the lights turned back on. He knew what he would see.. Trappers willed as hard as he could that the lights would not turn back on His wishes were in vain._

_The back up generator kicked into gear and the lights turned back on. The first voice he heard was Hawkeye's, always the same._

_"Is everybody okay?" he asked._

_"Oh damn! Pierce get over here. It's Macintyre!" Henry yelled. Hawkeye basically flew to the sound of Henry's voice. Trapper sighed as his line of vision followed Hawkeye. He did not want to see the picture again; His crushed body would be lying under the operating table with shreds of glass everywhere_

_Trapper was slowly forced to look down at the picture of his own bloodies unseeing face. He winched, but prepared to look. _

_He looked and felt his heart stop. Terror that he had never experienced before ripped his heart open._

_The body under the table was not his. It was still small. Instead of looking into his own face, he was staring into a lifeless set of penetrating green eyes._

_COMING SOON: **CHAPTER THREE: THE CONFERENCE**_

BJ grabbed the three glasses of scotch from the counter. With skill he carried all three glasses and the bottle towards the table and set them down in front of his friends.

"Nice," Hawkeye complimented. "Too bad you became a doctor; you would have made an excellent waitress."

"Nope, haven't got the legs."

Both men picked up their glasses and took a large swig. Hawkeye noticed that Trapper was staring out the window. His drink remained untouched.

"Earth to Trapper," he called. When he didn't receive a response, he grabbed one of the wax pieces of fruit off the table and chucked it at Trapper. The apple hit him square between the eyes.

"What?" Trapper asked drawing his attention away from the window.

"What's up? You look like your attempting to be insightful," BJ asked.

"A first, let me tell you." Hawkeye chuckled, leaning all the way back on his chair.

"Kat wants to join the army," Trapper stated calmly.

Hawkeye stopped laughing.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

Trapper retold last night's events as quickly as he could.

"I'm going to kill Frank Burns," Hawkeye growled. I swear that fink is going to…" His chair was teetering back and forth dangerously.

"That's not going to solve anything Hawk," BJ answered, putting both hands on his friend's chair and pushing down hard.

"No, but it would make me feel better," Hawkeye stated. He looked at Trapper. "She really used Louise's name?"

Trapper rubbed his forehead.

'I don't know what I'm gong to do. I have never seen her that angry."

"What about the time you ran over her hamster with the vacuum cleaner on accident. She said that she was never going to talk to you again."

Trapper smiled slightly at the memory. The poor rodent hadn't stood a chance. Fortunately the father and daughter relationship had ended up better then the hamster.

"Bo jangles death doesn't even come close to how angry she is right now," Trapper answered.

"What on earth would posses her to even consider it," Hawkeye asked outloud, but the question was intended for himself.

"Trapper," BJ interrupted in a contemplative tone. "You've got to sit her down and tell her everything." His voice grew quiet as if hating to remember. "The blood…the gore…the smell of death."

The other two men shuddered as an involuntary shutter slid down their backs.

"Maybe if you…"

BJ was interrupted by the sound the telephone. Hawkeye, who was closest, got out of his chair and answered.

"Macintyre Residence," he answered.

"Yes this Hawkeye…" he stated confused. "Oh, Hi Sidney."

Trapper and BJ both looked at Hawkeye in surprise. Trapper knew that Hawkeye had kept in loose contact with the physiatrist, but he hadn't seen Sidney Freedman in years. All he knew about the man was that he was working in the Psychiatric hospital just outside of Concord. Why was calling here?

Hawkeye seemed equally confused as he listened to Sidney's end of the conversation.

"No, not that I know of," he answered. He lowered the phone and looked at Trapper and BJ.

"Have you guys received any strange phone calls, seen anyone who looks like he's trying to follow you?'

With confused looks on their faces, both men shook their heads.

"Hawk, what's going on?" BJ asked.

Hawkeye held up his hand to ask for quiet.

"What!! Sidney, you've got to be kidding me!" There was long pause.

"Sure, we'll be here." Hawkeye hung up the phone.

'Sidney is coming over. He says that he needs to meet with us." He stated. His face still contained its dumbfounded look.

"Why?" Trapper asked.

"Apparently Samuel Halloran, one of Sidney's patients, has just escaped from the hospital."  
"Who?" BJ asked

:"Sidney says that we know him as Colonel Flagg."


	3. The Conference

_Sorry about the long gap between chapters. Faulty computers, arduous papers, and grueling tests do not make for a good writing environment. These problems should soon be compleatly remedied which means another chapter soon._

_ Happy Reading!!!_

Trapper opened his eyes. He was forced to shut them when the glaring rays from the morning sun nearly blinded him. The clock on the wall revealed that it was eight o clock in the morning. The events of the early morning came flooding back to his mind. He rubbed his forehead trying to prevent the headache that he could feel forming. If he hadn't have known he hadn't touched a drink in over a week, he would have sworn he was having a hangover. The sound of the coffee maker dragged his attention away from his throbbing head.

Kat always made the coffee every morning Even though her cooking skills were lacking, she sure could make one hell of a cup of coffee. It was just another important skill the future doctor had already learned. Trapper felt a twinge of hope. Maybe the coffee was a peace offering?

He got out of the chair, giving an involuntary groan. These muscles were stiff from sleeping in the chair. At least that was his answer for the pain. He refused to admit that old age was finally beginning to settle in. The coffee maker was the only active item in the kitchen. Trapper sighed, his hopes were dashed.

There was a small leather bound book and a piece of white paper sitting next to his favorite mug. His heart skipped a beat when he realized what the book was. Louise's journal. He picked up the note first.

_Dad,_

_I went to study at the library. Be home late, its my day to work in the clinic. We'll talk tonight. I don't think mom would mind if you read this now._

_Love, Kat_

Trapper read the note quickly, but it was several moments before he dared pick up the journal. Louise had always kept a journal since the day they had met. She had never bothered hiding it, choosing to always leave it on the nightstand by their bed. She had never said anything, but Trapper had known it was kept there to tempt him. She was daring him to defy her trust. Never had Trapper felt the urge to open it and read it…until now.

He poured coffee into his mug and brought the book back into the living room. He sat back down in the chair and placed the book on his lap. The book just sat there for at least five minutes. Finally, Trapper set down the mug and picked up the journal, opening it the first page. He began to read.

_February 21_

_He has only been gone for a few hours and the house already feels empty. His plane should be landing in San Francisco right now, and then it will be straight to Asia. We always talked about taking an exotic trip sometime. I just never imagined he would leave so soon and without me._

_Of course, I worry about him like any wife of a soldier does. He would kill me if he heard me call him that. I understand the risks, the fact that he might never come back, never get to see his girls grow up, or hide the fact that he has to suffer through another one of my dinners. But I worry about other things._

_Trapper Macintyre is the most passionate man I have ever known. When he cares about something, he will devote his entire soul to it. __I've seen him come home after he looses a patient, he is almost inconsolable. Luckily the losses have been few. I'm not sure he will be as lucky in Korea. There's bound to be death. More death, I fear, than he can handle. I also fear for his sanity. Trapper's never been one to share his emotions with anyone, even me. He would rather hide it behind a mask of indifference, pretend to laugh when its tearing him apart inside. My only hope is that he can find someone, a friend, someone who can confine in._

Trapper read the entry then flipped ahead a few pages.

_April 7_

_Becky had her birthday today. She asked if Daddy would be there to give her annual birthday spankings. It broke my heart to tell her that he wouldn't be home this year. The doll from Korea helped, but it wasn't a replacement from her dad making a fool of himself singing Happy Birthday. We had to call an early end to the party, because she stated that she would not have another birhday until Daddy was home. _

_I have talked to other wives with husbands in the war. They are happy to say that Korea is not as bad as they thought. Their soldiers have painted happy pictures for them. They decribe a pretty landscape with lots of time to socialize with army buddies, but not to worry, thier thoughts are almost always at home with the women they love.__Trapper knows better then do that with me. Its hell over there and every letter seems to get more and more dismal and distant._

_The distance scares me. We have never been a couple that has been overly affectionate. Both of us find most love letters repulsive and insincere, but he always managed to tell me loves me in some way. His recent letters are somewhat lacking in that department. I have my suspicions about what is going on over there. My hope is that he thinks about the girls and me every now and then and realizes that we're waiting for him. __If he needs to seek solace in ways that are inappropriate, so be it. I just want him home. We'll worry about the other things later_

Trapper felt the moisture began to flow in his eyes. He didn't bother to wipe it away, realizing that he didn't deserve the love of this woman. Not even for the short amount of time he was able to spend with her. He continued to read on in the journal, finding himself laughing at an entry written almost a month later.

_APRIL 24, _

_It looked like three of us were going to go crazy today. All of us were disappointed to learn that we would have spend our whole Saturday indoors on account of the rain. While I was looking out the window and telling Becky to quit picking on Kathy for the fifth time, a funny image came to my mind. During the first year we were married, Trap and I had been cooped up inside for days. Becky wasn't even close to driving me as insane today as he was back then. Finally, I told him to just go outside and run through the rain. Much to my surprise, he picked up his football and began sprinting through the background. Within five seconds, he had landed in a puddle and was covered with mud. As I sat in the window laughing, he ran into the house and threw a mudball at me. It is not difficult to figure out what happened next.. I think the girls thought I was going nuts when I started to sprint through the backyard, but they were soon following me. After about an hour, we were sitting in front of the fire with hot chocolate and soaking, muddy, clothes dring on the chairs. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. _

_I wonder what he's doing right now. I think its mid afternoon over there, but I never could understand how that whole time difference works. Is he in surgery or is he sitting in tent plotting another prank with the infamous Hawkeye? His letters have been full by stories of this doctor from Maine; most of them send me to the ground in hystarics. I couldn't have picked a better person for Trap to meet. I really think that they are helping each other through all this.. I look forward to meeting Hawkeye when this whole thing is over. That is if neither one of them gets court marshaled first. Trapper's last letter was vague, but apparently it had something to do with an incubator_

Trapper smiled when he read Louise's story. He could picture her and the girls giggling and running through the mud puddles in their backyard. He remembered their old, snooty neighbors and could only imagine what they had said when they saw crazy Louise. Louise wouldn't have cared. She was like Hawkeye in that regard, didn't really give a damn about what others thought.

Louise would have liked Hawk, and he had no doubt the feeling would have been mutual. It was his own fault that the two had never met. His own stupidity and stubbornness not to have anything to with anybody or anything that had to do with the war that had prevented the meeting. He had been stupid to think that he could avoid the war forever, now it come back with a vengeance. His hands were shaking so badly, he accidentally dropped the journal He reached down to grab it Instead of flipping back to where he was, he started to read the current page. It was one of the last entries in the book.

_October 12 _

_It's been almost a week since our family has been all together again, but it doesn't seem whole. Ever since that first night, Trapper's been distant. I know that part of it is he feels guilty about what happened over there...the other women. Although I am disappointed and hurt by what he has done, I will be able to forgive him. War has the power to take people's control out of their own hands. I am content right now with the fact that he has come home unharmed, at least physically._

_There are other things too. He only briefly mentioned that his commanding officer, a friend Henry Blake, was killed on his way home. I know that that has had more of an impact on him than he shows. A letter arrived yesterday from Hawkeye. Trapper didn't even open it. He refuses to have anything to do with Korea, even talking to me about it. I know that that is his way of coping, but its not healthy for anyone. Hopefully, someday he'll find the strength to talk about it. _

_The girls aren't helping the situation, although they really don't know what they're doing. Trapper's been gone almost a full year and the girl's have grown up during that time, especially Kathy. She was barely walking and talking when he left, and now she's constantly on the go and talking so fast that all of us have a hard time keeping up with her. She seems almost scared of him at times. Tonight, Trap tried to read her favorite bedtime story about Paul Revere. She ran away from him. I could see the tears in his eyes and heard him crying in the bathroom when he thought I was asleep. The war has taken so much from us; I refuse to let it take Trapper too. _

A loud and abrupt knocking interrupted him from his. It took Trapper a few seconds to focus his attention back on the real world. The knocking became louder.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" he called, standing up. He wished that he did not look like such a mess.

"You better have a full course breakfast ready by the time you get to the door," a familiar voice called. "It's taking you long enough to answer the damn door! Sorry Erin." The speaker added the apology as an afterthought.

Trapper stopped dead in his tracks. What the hell was Hawkeye doing here? He quickly sprinted towards the door and opened it. Much to his surprise, Hawkeye, BJ and Erin were standing in the doorway.

"Good morning Trap," BJ clapped him on his shoulder. "Looks like you've had a rough night."

"Yeah," Trapper answered, still trying to get his bearings.

'Why do I think that you weren't expecting us?" Hawkeye stated, correcting interpreting the star-struck look in his friend's eyes.

"Well I..." Trapper stuttered, not sure what to say. He opened the door farther. "Well come on in, its freezing outside."

Erin followed the two men inside. The seventeen year old gave Trapper a hesitant look. Trapper's demeanor changed instantly.

"Well Ms. Erin, I do believe you have grown even lovelier since the last time I saw you," he stated in his best British accent. Ever so gracefully, he picked up her hand and kissed it. Erin's attitude changed instantly.

"How are you Uncle Trapper?" she asked.

"Never been better," Trapper answered with a fake smile. He knew that Erin could see through the lie, but she didn't push it.

"Is Kat home?" she asked.

"She's at school taking an anatomy test. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be in school on a Friday."

"It's Leonard Packard day," Erin answered, walking into the room and sitting down on the couch next ot her father. "We get four days off of school."

"That's right," Trapper remembered. "The founder and hero of Crabapple Cove He is so famous that the whole town shuts down to honor his memory."

"I sense some sarcasm in your voice Trap," BJ stated.

"Not at all. I'm just trying to picture any town over the population of five hundred stop functioning for a day in rememberance of some obscure figure in history."

"Obscure!" Hawkeye answered, raising half way out of his seat. "I'll have you know that Leonard Packard braved the dangerous coast to bring in one hundred pounds of lobster every day of the week during the drought of 1795, saved the town from a cholera outbreak in 1798 and lived to the ripe old age of a hundred and five!"

"You know all this?" Trapper asked Erin. Erin shrugged her shoulders

"He gave us a four day weekend," she answered.

This sent Trapper into a fit of laughter. Hawkeye sat back in his chair.

"What are they teaching in those schools these days," he sighed.

"Hey Erin, why don't you tell him you're good news," BJ stated.

"What news?" she asked. BJ shot her a look. "Oh that news. I was just cast as Maria in our school production of West Side Story," she stated enthusiastically.

"That's great kid! Congratulations." Trapper beamed

"Yup, she'll be the first blond haired, blue eyed, Scandinavian girl to join a Puerto Rican gang," Hawkeye answered.

"Only in Crabapple Cove," BJ stated.

"You know who would really like to hear that?" Trapper asked Erin. "Charles."

"I tried calling him last night but he was busy," Erin stated. "Do you think he would be in his office at the College?"

"He might be," Trapper stated. "I know he's got class with Kat until ten thirty, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't do much for the rest of the day.

"How do you know his schedule?" BJ asked, curiously.

"Has to keep track of Kat," Hawkeye answered. "I bet he knows the schedule of every single one of her professors," he smiled. Trapper looked down at his feet sheepishly.

"Dad, can I go see him?" Erin asked. BJ clenched his teeth.

"I don't know Erin. I don't like the idea of you driving through Boston alone, especially with the rental car."

"She could borrow my car, "Trapper suggested."I won't need it for a while." He received a grateful look from Erin and a glare from BJ.

"Come on Dad, I've driven to the college before."

"Erin, don't..." BJ started to say. Hawkeye gave him a look.

"Let her go Beej, she doesn't want to be cooped up with some old men like us." BJ still looked hesitant.

"I don't know Erin..."

Hawkeye got out of his chair, got up and walked over the jacket closest. They all watched him with interest. He appeared a few seconds later and threw the car eyes and Erin. She caught them easily.

"Have fun honey, and make sure to break every traffic law in the book, get drunk, and scare the hell out of your father."

Erin caught the eyes, but she still looked at BJ for confirmation.

"Go," he told her. "Just be careful."

"Thanks Dad," she stated before disapearing out the house. They listened to her walk into the garage, and open up the door. A few seconds later the car was backing up out of the driveway.

"You just wait until Connor gets behind the wheel," BJ looked at Hawkeye.

"Are you kidding me? That kid's toush will never touche the driver's seat."

Trapper couldn't help but smile. Not for the first time, he realized how much he missed Crabapple Cove and the people who lived there.

"So what's up Trap?" Hawkeye asked, returning to his seat.

"What do you mean?" Trapper asked playing dumb.

"You look like you haven't slept all night," BJ answered.

"I was in surgery till late this morning. There was a huge pile up on the interstate and I didn't get home until late this morning."

"Not that I'm complaining, but you didn't exactly role out the welcome mat for us," Hawkeye stated.

"You did just show up on my doorstep," Trapper countered. "We're friends Hawk, but I've never been able to read your mind."

"Who would want to?" BJ asked, ducking the pillow that Hawk had thrown at him. "I did call Kat last night Trap," BJ answered. "She said that she would tell you."

"Oh man," Trapper answered, rubbing his forehead. He collapsed on the couch.

"You and Kat having problems?" BJ asked. Trapper just nodded his head. "Need somebody to talk to?"

"I need a drink," Trapper answered. Hawkeye glanced at his watch.

"It's almost eleven o clock, good time for a drink."

"Perfect," BJ agreed.

A few minutes later, Trapper was sitting at the kitchen table watching BJ walk over the cabinet above the fridge and take down a bottle of scotch and three glasses. After pouring, he grabbed the three glasses of scotch from the counter. With skill, he carried all three glasses and the bottle towards the table and set them down in front of his friends.

"Nice," Hawkeye complimented. "Too bad you became a doctor; you would have made an excellent waitress."

"Nope, haven't got the legs."

Hawkeye opened the fridge looking for something to eat.He took one look at the burnt turkey and closed the door.

"I see Kat cooked last night," he stated. He closed the door and went and sat down at the table.

Hawk and BJ picked up their glasses and took a large swig. Hawkeye noticed that Trapper was staring out the window. His drink remained untouched.

"Earth to Trapper," he called. When he didn't receive a response, he grabbed one of the wax pieces of fruit off the table and chucked it at Trapper. The apple hit him square between the eyes.

"What?" Trapper asked drawing his attention away from the window.

"What's up? You look like you're attempting to be insightful," BJ stated..

"A first, let me tell you." Hawkeye chuckled, leaning all the way back on his chair.

"Kat wants t join the army," Trapper stated calmly.

Hawkeye stopped laughing.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. Trapper retold last night's events as quickly as he could.

"I'm going to kill Frank Burns," Hawkeye growled. I swear that fink is going to…" His chair was teetering back and forth dangerously.

"That's not going to solve anything Hawk," BJ answered, putting both hands on his friend's chair and pushing down hard.

"No, but it would make me feel better," Hawkeye stated. He looked at Trapper. "She really used Louise's name?"

Trapper rubbed his forehead.

'I don't know what I'm gong to do. I have never seen her that angry."

"What about the time you ran over her hamster with the vacuum cleaner on accident. She said that she was never going to talk to you again."

Trapper smiled slightly at the memory. The poor rodent hadn't stood a chance. Fortunately the father and daughter relationship had ended up better then the hamster.

"Bo jangles death doesn't even come close to how angry she is right now," Trapper answered.

"Crap," Hawkeye answered. It was silent for a moment. "What on earth would posses her to even consider it?"

"Trapper," BJ interrupted in a contemplative tone. "You've got to sit her down and tell her everything." His voice grew quiet as if hating to remember. "The blood…the gore…the smell of death."

The other two men shuddered as an involuntary shutter slid down their backs.

"Tell her the reason you cheated on her mother," Hawkeye added.

"Maybe if you…"

BJ was interrupted by the sound the telephone. Hawkeye, who was closest, got out of his chair and answered.

"Macintyre Residence," he answered.

"Yes this Hawkeye…" he stated confused. "Oh, hi Sidney!"

Trapper and BJ both looked at Hawkeye in surprise. Trapper knew that Hawkeye had kept in loose contact with the physiatrist, but he hadn't seen Sidney Freedman in years. All he knew about the man was that he was working in the psychiatric hospital just outside of Concord. Why was calling here?

Hawkeye seemed equally confused as he listened to Sidney's end of the conversation.

"No, not that I know of," he answered. He lowered the phone and looked at Trapper and BJ.

"Have you guys received any strange phone calls, seen anyone who looks like he's trying to follow you?'

With confused looks on their faces, both men shook their heads.

"Hawk, what's going on?" BJ asked.

Hawkeye held up his hand to signal for quiet.

"What!! Sidney, you've got to be kidding me!" There was long pause.

"Sure, we'll be here." Hawkeye hung up the phone.

'Sidney is coming over. He says that he needs to meet with us." He stated. His face still contained its dumbfounded look.

"Why?" Trapper asked.

"Apparently Samuel Halloran, one of Sidney's patients, has just escaped from the hospital."  
"Who?" BJ asked

:"Sidney says that we know him as Colonel Flagg."

A little over an hour later, Sidney was sitting at the kitchen table, also with a drink in his hand.

"That's crazy!" he stated, after Trapper had told him about his daughter's plans.

"and he should know," Hawkeye added.

"Maybe you could try taking to her," Trapper suggested.

"I doubt that I would do any good. Lately, I've had a hard time keeping track of the people that do need my help," Sidney answered rubbing his forehead.

"Sid, you okay?" BJ asked, concerned.

"No not really," Sidney answered honestly. "And that's part of the reason I came here. I mentioned Samuel Halloran, Colonel Flagg, on the phone.

"I would have thought that guy would have jumped off a cliff by now," Hawkeye stated.

:"Not off a cliff," Sidney answered. "but off the deep end."

"What?" all three men asked.. Sidney sighed again.

"I'm going to tell you a story, a very sad and depressing story." He took a long swig of the scotch and set the glass down.

"Samuel Halloran was born into the home of a wealthy businessman in Chicago by the name of Marcus Halloran. Although they shared the same last name, there was no blood relation. Sam's mother had been having an affair and ended up pregnant. As soon as he found out, the guy took off. It probably saved his life considering Halloran's connections to some of the most powerful and dangerous men in the city.

Sam's mother was left with a baby growing in her womb and a broken marriage. She began an emotional spiral downwards both physically and mentally. Three weeks after Sam was born she committed suicide."

"Geez," Hawkeye stated.

"Marcus wanted to get rid of the baby," Sidney continued, "but knew that his reputation has been stained enough by his wife's death. He decided to keep the baby and raise him as his own."

"Why do I think the kid would have been better off in a different situation?" Hawkeye asked.

"Quit interrupting and shut up," BJ scolded him.

Sidney smiled, some things never changed. The amusing moment quickly disappeared when he continued on with his story.

"This all happened a few months before the stock market crashed. Marcus lost everything, his career, his house, his large bank account. He began drinking heavily. Any money that he could put together was spent on bootleg whiskey. When he couldn't get the money himself, he began borrowing from others. Of course, he never had enough to pay them back. It wasn't long before he had every loan shark and mob member in the city after him."

"Im guessing this doesn't have a happy ending," Hawkeye interrupted again. "Sorry," he apologized when he received the glares from his friends.

"Sam, of course, got the worst end of the deal. He was often left alone as far as food went. You can forget any kind of fatherly love. What's worse is his father made an awful mean drunk. He often beat the living daylights out of the kid. I've seen the scars, they aren't pretty.

On April 6, 1938, nine year old Sam was at home looking at the pictures of an illustrated story of Cinderella. His father was passed out in the armchair, an empty whiskey bottle in his hand. Without warning,, the door to their run down house was kicked down and two well dressed men stormed into the house. One of them took out a gun and shot Marcus in the center of his skull. Without a word, the two men exited the house."

"Jesus," Trapper stated. "That poor kid. What happened to him?"

"He took to the streets," Sidney answered. "He had basically been doing it his whole life. It was nothing new to him."

"On the streets all alone," BJ sighed. "God, those times were rough."

"He wasn't alone," Sidney stated, mysteriously. "There was somebody who was always with Sam."

The others game him questioning looks.

"Sam Halloran had a friend with him. One who would stand up to the bullies he met on the street, a friend that could handle living on his own. He called this friend Sam Flagg." Sidney got the reaction he expected.

"Wait a second, "Trapper exclaimed. "You're telling me that nutcase with friends was a friend of one of your patients?"

"You find that surprising?" Hawkeye asked.

"He wasn't a friend of one of my patients," Sidney explained. "He is one of my patients." This time he received only stares.

"This is going to take some explaining. I believe that Sam Halloran suffers from Multiple Personalities Disorder."

"That's what that Sybil…." BJ started to say, but Sidney interrupted him.

"Let me explain what happened to Sam first. Multiple personality Disorder is rare and usually the result of some traumatic event experienced in childhood. It is usually brought about by excessive abuse. I believe his experiences with his father and then living in the streets was the breaking point for Sam. The experiences were so traumatic for him that his personality basically split."

"It split?" Trapper asked.

"In his mind, two different people were formed. It was his way of coping with his experiences. When Flagg was the dominant alter, it was easy to say that the abuse had happened to another person. He could brush it aside. " Sam lived on the streets until he was eighteen. During this time, I believe he developed another alter, Tommy Walters. Tommy was smart, very smart, and cunning. Tommy was the dominant ego when Sam needed to steal for his survival needs."

"This is unbelievable," Hawkeye shook his head. "This is the guy we met in Korea?"

"During the early 1940's, The FBI started a new initiative, training Street kids to be agents. Their reasoning was that the kids already knew how to live on their own, all they would need was a little training. The cops sent him to the program after he was arrested for breaking into a grocery store.

Sam excelled at what he was doing. I think the combination of his three egos made the job easy for him. I have yet to discover if the army knew anything about it mental disorder at the time, but I doubt it. There just wasn't much known about the disorder at the time. Finally he ended up working as CID man in Korea, where all of us had the chance to meet him, well at least Coronal Flagg."

"And those other names he gave us? Were they all other…." BJ stumbled for the right word.

"Alters," Sidney answered. "I don't think so, but it's a possibility. I have only met the three alters in therapy."

"Would have been interesting to meet the real Samuel Halloran," Hawkeye mused.

"You did," Sidney answered. "At the poker game when Frank was attacked in the shower."

"Oh yeah," Hawkeye and Trapper stated.

"That was the real Sam?" Hawkeye asked.

"From my work with him, I think so. He was very duty bound, but not well uh…."

"crazy?" BJ suggested

Sidney nodded his head.

"How did he end up at the mental hospital?" Trapper asked.

"Lots of things," Sidney answered. "I think the stress of his experiences eventually got to him.. He saw a lot of things in war, things that the real Sam would rather forget. Flagg became the dominant alter because he was the strongest out of the three, but also the most paranoid. The CIA finally realized that there was something very wrong the man and got him medical help. I have yet to discover if they knew about his mental disorder before, although I doubt it. Multiple Personality Disorder is not well known."

"Is he going to be okay?" Hawk asked.

"Well I thought I was making progress. I was able to get through to Tommy. The goal is solving MPD is getting all the personalities meshed together to form one person. The alters don't often agree because they think they are going to die. Talking with Tommy, I convinced him that he would be much smarter if he became part of Halloran."

"You talk about them like they're separate people," Hawkeye answered before he took a drink. He reached for the bottle and poured himself another glass.

"In a way they are. Each of them has distinct personality characteristics. During our first few therapy sessions, I never knew which person I was going to be talking to. Eventually, Tommy disappeared and I ended up talking to Flagg most of the time. I never did like that guy."

"As interesting as this is Sidney," BJ stated, still in awe. "It doesn't explain why you are concerned about somebody trying to follow us and our families."

"You guys remember how Flagg was obsessed with a communist takeover? How he thought all three of you were communist sympathizers?"

"How could we forget?" Hawkeye answered. "He tried to arrest me once, but Charles gave him the slip."

"Well its gotten worse in the time I've spent with him. I think he's using it as his defense mechanism against merging with Sam's real personality. He claims that he needs to stick around and rid America of those who wish to see it fall under communist control."

"Well he's locked away right? He's not going to hurt anyone unless…."Trapper stated, but stopped when he saw that Sidney was suddenly distracted in his glass. "Unless he's out," Trapper finished. "Oh no. Sidney, he didn't…."

"He flew the coop about a week ago. He knocked out a guard, stole his gun and threatened to shoot unless they allowed him to get away. I wasn't there at the time."

"Damn," Hawkeye swore. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Fortunately, no. The guard has a serious concussion, but he's fine. The only causality was a stray cat."

"Stray cat?"

"He shot it because he thought the soviets have put a listening devise in it."

"Are you kidding me?" BJ asked. The situation was serious, so nobody laughed, but they were unable to contain their snickers of amusement.

"I wish I was," Sidney answered. "But that just proves to you how crazy he is."

"They'll catch him," Trapper stated. "A guy that shoots stray cats is going to cause lots of attention. Besides he's gong to need food, stuff like that at some point."

"I know he may seem like an idiot to most of us Trapper, but you have to remember he basically grew up on the streets. He received the best training from the CIA. He knows how to survive on his own. He's out on the streets with a gun and without his mind. Personally, I'd a little terrified even if he didn't have a personal vendetta against me. "

"So why do think Flagg is after us?" Hawkeye asked. "We don't even know the guy other then the few times he's shown up at the 4077."

"Whenever I was talking to Flagg during our therapy sessions, your names usually came up. For whatever reason, you guys left an impression on him. He always stated that whenever they let him out of his nuthouse, he would find you and make you pay."

"Never thought I'd be saying this, but this one time I'd rather not have left an impression," Hawkeye sighed, "and why does he feel the need to make us poor humble doctors suffer."

"Treason," Sidney answered simply.

"Oh that Hippocratic Oath always seems to get in the way doesn't it," BJ answered. "Let me guess, he believes that trying to save the lives of the enemy was a criminal act."

"Might have been better off letting them die in peace," Trapper offered. "I don't know if we did them any favors by healing them, only to send them to the POW camp. dysentery….Hepatitis…

"boredom, insanity…Oh wait wrong POW camp," Hawkeye corrected himself. "Back on topic. He can't hurt us Sidney, he doesn't even know where we live. He would have to look pretty hard to find…" he stopped when Sidney lowered his gaze once again. "Why do I think I'm not going to like you're response?" He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"About three days ago, our house was broken into. Everything was trashed, our coach was torn about, lamps were broken…it was a real mess."

"Oh no Sidney," BJ stated sympathetically. 'Nobody was home were they?"

"No, thank God. Melanie was at a PTA meeting and she had brought the twins along. I was late at the hospital and Luke was at basketball practice. Apparently the neighbors didn't see anything. The police are still investigating, but they don't think their not hopeful they'll find anything."

"You think it was Flagg?" Trapper asked.

"Despite the mess, only one thing that we discovered was taken. Something that couldn't be valuable to more then one person…..my address book."

_sorry no Preview of the next chapter-I tried to get this up as soon as possible. If you would like a short synopsis of the next segement, let me know and I can give you one_.


	4. Unexpected Visitors

_Overseas trips and life have kept me away from this story for way too long. I'm sorry for anyone who has been looking for updates. I hope you enjoy_

Kat sat at the desk, diligently filling out patient records. The young woman at the large oak receptionist's desk was the only one in the waiting room. She was caught completely off guard when a light tenor voice came out of nowhere.

'Look at the doctor's pet, hard at work."

Kat looked up to see a young man with dark skin and black hair standing in front of the desk. Although the comment had an insulting tone, the young man was smiling and his brown eyes were full of good humor.

"Hey Blake," she greeted warmly before returning to her work. "I'll talk to you in just a sec. I want to get these files organized."

"Stop!" Blake leaned forward and put his hands over the files. "You're making the people who actually have to work here look bad."

Kat put her pen down and looked up at the young man with a smile.

"Have to be here?" she asked. "I seem to remember you staying an extra two hours past your shift the last couple of times to see your favorite patients."

"Only cause I had to," Blake grumbled.

'Right," Kat answered, rolling her eyes.

The clinic where the aspiring doctors were working at had been a project set up by the administrate staff of the medical department. The Hope Clinic served two purposes. It was an opportunity for young doctors to gain first hand experience before pursuing their medical careers. Blake, for example, was in his first year of residency, but he was required to put in at least three hundred hours of volunteer work at Hope before his residency was done. The second service was to provide reduced or free services to those who couldn't afford more expensive care.

"I'll tell you one thing," Blake yawned loudly. "I won't be staying an extra two hours today. In a half an hour, I'm out of here. Three hours of sleep is not good for the body."

'That's right," Kat remembered. "Last night with the accident…"

Blake stretched out his arms and stifled another yawn. "I don't think I've ever worked so hard in my life. "Let me tell you Kat, your father is something else."

Kat shifted uneasily. Blake apparently didn't notice.

"When the rest of us were dead on our feet, he kept going. I swore we were going to loose one of the kids. He had lost so much blood. Doctor Macintyre never gave up on him. He operated on him for more than two hours. That little boy is alive today because of him."

"Doctor Saunders!" The bellowing voice made both of the young people jump.

Charles Winchester walked into the room. He glared at Blake.

"Last time I checked, you were not getting credit for flirting with the interns."

Kat and Blake turned red.

"Listen Sir, I was…." Blake stuttered.

"Don't make excuses, apologize."

"Sorry Sir," Blake answered sheepishly. Kat looked down to hide her smirk . Blake was a hard worker and a great surgeon. He was a great guy, but sometimes his ego did get a little big. Charles was the only one willing to knock him down a few notches.

"Now instead of wasting time, Mrs. Wanten is waiting in room 12. She asked especially for you."

A look of horror spread over the young man's face.

"Come on Doctor Winchester, you know that she has a…that she wants to…"

"Maybe if you could use some of that charm on the patients instead of interrupting Ms. Macintyre from her work; you wouldn't have such a problem with the patients."

"Come on Doctor, I'm all for women's rights and everything by this woman takes it step to far. I'm afraid she's going to come after me with her…. Alright, alright, I'm going!"

Charles lost his glare as soon as the young doctor had disappeared.

"You don't have to be so rough on him," Kat stated. "He was up late this morning working on patients."

"That doesn't make a difference," Charles answered, still watching the swinging door. He turned his attention back to the young woman.

"Kat, I would like you to assist me with one of my patients."

"Professor, you know that I'm not allowed to go into the rooms with patients."

"And that's stopped you before?" Charles asked, raising his eyebrows.

Kat blushed and looked down at the paper. She had often broken that rule and visited with the patients. Most of the doctors had pretended not to see anything; some even allowed her input on treatments for simple diagnoses.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to enhance your education Ms. Macintyre, and as your professor, I insist you take it."

"I'm coming," Kat answered. She got up and followed the professor through the door. They walked past the waiting room where Blake was attempting to examine the infamous Mrs. Wanten. The woman's screaming could be heard through the door. Kat wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Charles cringe.

Charles stopped walking when he got to the last examination room. The door was only open a crack. He put his hand on the doorway.

"Brace yourself Kat," he told her, before opening the door.

"Hello Debbie," Charles greeted fondly. Kat followed him inside and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the patient.

The woman had her blonde hair pulled off her face. She was wearing a blue tank top and denim shorts and her bare feet were hanging over the edge the examination table. Her choice was of hairstyle and clothing made her skin quite revealing, other than the large black sunglasses that covered up most of her skin. Varying degrees of charred skin covered her hands and feet. She was missing her big toe on her left foot, and the rest of the toes were so charred, they resembled burn cigarette butts.

Kat fought the urge to throw-up.

Charles walked up and gently grabbed hold of the woman's hands.

"My dear, you are looking much better today than last week."

The woman smiled, or at least as much of a smile as her face would allow.

"Thank you Doctor," she stated.

Charles turned to look at Kat.

"Debbie, this Kathy Macintyre. She is currently studying to become a doctor and has shown some interesting in using her talents in Vietnam."

Debbie smiled sadly.

"How old are you my dear?" she asked.

"I'll be twenty-one in a few weeks," she answered, glaring at Charles..

"The same age I was," Debbie answered, shaking her head. She looked at Kat kindly. "Do you know how I ended up looking like this?"

Kat shook her head.

"I was a nurse in Vietnam about a year ago now," Debbie stated. "I was stationed at an aid station on the front lines. Apparently an order from HQ had been sent out, ordering for all medical units to pull out. Out communication systems were done so we never heard the message.

Fighter jets began flying over our heads and bombs began dropping everywhere. Trees, the compound, anything that would burn caught on fire. All of a sudden my body was burning. I had never felt such pain in my life. I screamed out, but I'm sure no one heard me. There was excruciating pain in my eyes and the world went black."

Debbie started to shake. In an uncharacteristic move, Charles put a hand on her shoulder.

"While I was running around screaming aimlessly, somebody picked me up and threw me over their shoulder. Along the way I must have blacked out. The next thing I know, I'm waking up inside a MASH."

Debbie seemed unable to continue, so Charles picked up the story for her.

"It was Napalm Kat. The US Military, in all its genius, dropped a chemical weapon on its own troops."

Debbie pulled off her sunglasses and turned to look at Kat. The aspiring doctor let out a huge gasp.

Debbie's eyes had been completely burned away. Dead, black skin made almost perfectly framed her eyes. The pigmentation in the pupils had turned a sickly gray and puss almost completely covering both eyes gave them a glossy look.

Kat knew she couldn't hold it down anymore. She turned and ran out of the examination room and out the back door into the late afternoon sun. She didn't stop running until she reached the parking lot, allowing her body to slide down until she hit the ground. The tears began to flow freely as she pulled hugged her knees close to her body. As hard as she tried, she could not fight the mental images of the poor nurse.

She didn't know how long she sat there crying. After a while, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

'Kat, I'm sorry," a familiar voice stated.

"You did that on purpose," she sobbed, without lifting her head.

"Yes," Charles stated simply. "But I thought it was necessary."

:"How did you know?"

"I've heard you talking about it at the clinic and before classes quite often," Charles stated.

Kat lifted up head.

"Did my father tell you do it?" she asked.

"No, I did this on my own, although I was thinking about him when I asked Debbie to come into the office today.

"Can there be anything done for her?" Kat asked. "Does she have to go through the rest of life looking like that?"

"Skin grafts will help some and I will help her get glass eyes, but she will never regain her vision and most of the scars will be permanent."

Kat shuddered.

"I'm going to be an awful doctor," Kat stated sadly.

"Why is that?" Charles asked, surprised.

"I ran like a coward out of there," Kat answered. "One look at her and I almost threw up."

Charles knelt down next to her, forcing her to look him straight in the eye.

" I would be more concerned if that sight hadn't been made you run out of that room."

Kat still didn't look convinced.

"Do you know how many times I saw BJ and Hawkeye turn green at less appalling sights? Yes, even I have found myself close to loosing my lunch on several occasions in Korea."

"But you battled through them, you still operated.."

"Yes," Charles answered sadly. "We grew accustomed to seeing them, but we relived the horror afterwards in our nightmares."

"And my father?" she asked.

"You will have to ask him," Charles stated. "I never worked with your father in Korea."

Kat's face clouded over again.

"Fat chance of him telling me," she stated angrily

Charles sighed and stood up.

"Kat, I would like you to go home early tonight. I would like you tell your father what you saw tonight."

'Yes Sir," she answered, "but I don't know what its going to accomplish.

"Hold on right there!" A loud voice growled. Charles and Kat turned suddenly to see a man walking towards them. The gun pointed in his left hand was pointed straight at Charles.

"Flagg?" Charles asked in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Following orders Winchester. We know about you and your friends. Your plot to bring down the US government and hand it to the soviets has been discovered!"

Charles would have found the reemergence of Flagg and his accusations after fifteen years amusing, if hadn't been the gun in his hand.

"Colonel Flagg, why don't you put down the gun and we can talk," he stated, stepping front of Kat who looked completely shell shocked.

"And give you communist pig the chance to catch me off guard, I don't think so," Flagg answered.

The man walked forward until he was only a few feet away from Charles. Flagg looked different from the last time Charles had seen him. There were traces of gray and he had a somewhat more haggard look. . Flagg also looked at if he had lost about twenty pounds.

"Charles, what is going…."

"Stay there Kat!" Charles ordered, not daring to do anything that would set off the clearly crazed man.

"Kat?" Flagg asked in contemplation. "Kat?" He pulled a flipbook out of his pocket. "Ahh, Kathy Macintyre the only surviving daughter of Trapper John Xavier Macintyre."

Kat looked between Charles and Flagg.

"How do you know who…"

Flagg turned the gun from Charles to Kat. The young woman froze.

"Don't lie to me girl! I know your father and the pigs he calls friends. Tell me their plans to bring down the US government!"

"What are you talking about?" Kat asked.

Flagg moved closer until he was within a few inches of her. The gun pointed straight at her chest.

"They have trained you well I see. If I hadn't known better I would say you were telling the truth. But I know better!"

Charles had had enough.

"Good God man! Whatever madness you are talking about, she had nothing to do with it. Put that gun down."

Flagg turned to look at Charles again and smiled.

"You men are good, I will give you that. But I think that I might know how to break you," Flagg stated, looking particularly at Kat. "Alright, you see that car parked over there?" he motioned towards a beat-up old blue station wagon parked at the end of the parking lot.

They book nodded their heads.

"Girl, can you drive?"

Kat nodded her head once again.

"You will get into the driver's seat. Winchester, you will get into the backseat. Best not to try any funny business." He waved his gun to emphasis his point.

Charles thought about trying to resist, then thought better about it. He looked at Kat. Her face had grown pale and Charles noticed her shoulders begin to shake.

"Do what he says," he stated.

"But…" Kat protested. She shut her mouth when she noticed Charles pleading look. On shaky feet, she followed him towards the car. Flagg kept the gun within the corner of her eye.

Charles mind was racing. He knew Flagg was crazy, but now he was really putting Kat's life in danger too. How the hell were they going to get out of this mess?

"NOOO!!!!" Erin screamed, as she saw the car pull of the parking lot. She took of at a dead sprint after the moving station wagon, but she was too late. A few seconds later, the vehicle was already out of view.

The teen didn't think twice she turned around past Trapper's car and ran inside the waiting room.

"Help!" She screamed, "Is somebody in here?"

The door to the waiting room flew open and Blake came running inside.

"What's wrong?" he asked the distraught girl. His eyes were full of concern and hesitation. It wasn't everyday that some strange kid came sprinting into the clinic. Erin was so winded that it took her a few seconds to catch her breath.

"I think somebody just kidnapped Charles and Kat!"


	5. Waiting

Chapter 5: Waiting

The parking lot was full of cop cars and flashing lights. Men in police uniforms were walking around the parking lot shining their flashlights on the ground.

"The'th-ey'v've al-al read-d-y-y d-done th-at-at t-ten tim-times," Erin's voice was still shaking. BJ pulled his daughter closer. He could still feel her trembling under his arms.

"Better to be safe than sorry," he stated, but he was as frustrated as his daughter. It had been twenty minutes since he had received Erin's distraught call. That was twenty minutes that Flag could…He didn't want to think about it. He looked over his shoulder to see Trapper talking to the chief of police. The man's face was completely white and he appeared to be fighting back tears. He had no idea how his friend was able to keep himself together. If it had been his daughter…Another thought he didn't want to think about. He pulled Erin closer, having no intention of letting go.

Hawkeye walked out of the hospital. His knees felt like Jello, and they would collapse at any moment. He saw Trapper talking to the police chief to go and offer his friend support, but there was something else he needed to do first. BJ and Erin were standing only a couple hundred yards away. He walked over to them.

"Peg's on the phone," he told BJ. "She wants to talk to both of you."

BJ nodded his head.

"Did you call everybody?" BJ asked.

"The clinics going to have quite a phone bill," Hawkeye answered.

"Margaret and Conner?" BJ asked.

"They're going to go down to Texas to stay with her parents for as long as need be. I hate when she goes down there and Conner's going to miss school, but I feel better if…"

"Hawk, its okay," BJ responded.

"I know that they're hundreds of miles away and he couldn't possibly get that far…"

"Hawk, I know."

"I hate being stupid this, but if anything…."

"HAWK!" BJ yelled.

"Sorry, "he stated sheepishly. A small smile cracked his lips. "Did you know the kid was ready to hop on a flight from Iowa to come aid in the investigation?"

"What did Potter say?" BJ asked, glad of the change of subject

"Said that its lucky he's a thousand miles away, otherwise he'd have the city in flames trying to find them right now."

"Bet he would too," BJ answered. "despite the fact that he can barely walk." "Everyone says they'll be on the lookout and they send their concern. We're supposed to let them know as soon as anything happens."

"Dad, Mom's going to be pitching a fit if you don't go talk to her now," Erin interrupted.

"Alright hon, let's go." BJ did not remove his arm from his daughter's shoulders. Hawkeye watched them walk inside. The poor kid must be sacred out of her mind. She never would have let him to that otherwise. He had a feeling that they both needed the closeness right now. He wondered if Conner would let him to the same. He would make him. He looked over at Trapper and was instantly concerned. The man's cheeks were getting red. He was at his boiling point.

"Doctor Pierce?" A voice stated behind him.

Hawkeye turned to see a good looking young man standing behind him.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I know this isn't the best circumstances, but I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Blake Saunders. I'm the one that helped Ms. Hunnicut dial the house." His voice shook slightly.

Hawkeye smiled, slightly and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Trapper's talked about you a couple of times. He seems to think you've got talent."

"I don't know about that," Saunders blushed.

"Hey kid, I've known Dr. McIntyre a long time and he isn't free with his praise, especially of other doctors. He's got this high and mighty opinion of himself. Thinks he best doctor in on the Coast.

"Funny, he said the same thing about you."

"Really?" Hawkeye asked a glint in his eye. "What else has the good doctor said?"

"Blake sensed that he was in a trap.

"Oh… Well…"

"What the hell are you talking about? You should be combing the streets looking for her!"

Both men turned suddenly when they heard Trapper yell.

"Listen Blake, I think I better go…"

"Yeah, I understand. I saw when he got angry with one of the mucky-mucks on the Board of Directors. It wasn't a pretty sight."

Hawkeye turned on his heel and walked over to police car.

"What's the problem?" Hawkeye asked, standing beside Trapper and putting a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"And you are?" the cop asked. The man stood up barely stood up to Hawkeye's shoulder, and had to look up to ask the question. The layers of fat on the back of his neck rolled together when he did.

"Does it matter?" Hawkeye asked. "I want to know what you are doing to find Kathy and Dr. Winchester."

"This is top secret investigation," the man stated. "Only family members are allowed to know the details."

This was all Trapper could take. He shrugged off Hawkeye's arm.

"Top Secret Investigation!! Why the hell does this need to be secret? You should be broadcasting it everywhere in the city! Is anybody out there looking for my little girl right now?"

"Doctor McIntyre, you need to calm down. If you can't control yourself, we will have to keep the details of this investigation from you."

Hawkeye could feel Trapper tense next to him. He prepared to step in front of the man who was preparing to lunge at the cop.

"Uncle Trapper, I need you for a second!"

Trapper turned around to see Erin standing in the doorway to the clinic. Caught off guard, he stumbled over feet, but managed to keep his balance.

"I'll be right there honey," he called. He glared at the police chief. "I'll be right back."

Hawkeye let out a huge sigh. Erin couldn't have planned it better.

"His is absolutely out of control! I tell you, one more peep out of him and…"The man was murmuring under his breath.

"Do you have kids, Mr…" Hawkeye asked.

"Chief Warren," The man answered, "and no, I'm not married."

"When you know what it feels like to have your child missing, then you can have the right to tell a father to calm down," Hawkeye stated, his voice iced with disdain.

"I am the chief of police! I will not be threatened," The man growled.

"Then I suggest you get some of your people out searching for them," Hawkeye stated.

"I've already three squad cars combing the streets," The man answered, his voice dangerously low.

"Double it," Hawkeye stated.

"Look Mister….I do not take orders from a civilian. I am responsible for…"

"I will not be responsible for my actions if there is so much a bruise on either Kat or Charles!" Hawkeye answered back.

"You have no authority here," Warren challenged. "This investigation is mine, and nobody is going to tell me what to do."

"This is what I think of your authority, you Pig!" Hawkeye stated coolly. Before Warren knew what hit him, he was on the ground clutching his bloody nose. There was a dazed look in his eyes.

"Did you ever think of enlisting in the army?" Hawkeye said evenly. "I bet you could find a lot of friends just like you there." He walked away from the man who was still lying on the ground. He looked up and saw that everyone was looking at him.

"Enjoy the show?" he asked with a crooked smile. He walked over to where BJ, Trapper and Erin were standing.

"Did that accomplish anything?" BJ asked, shaking his head.

"No, but it felt good." Hawkeye responded, the sighed. "But I think I think I just made things harder for all of us. Sorry, Trap."

"If you hadn't done it, I would have." Trapper's voice sounded tired.. "I don't think I can sit around and wait like this. Not knowing anything…."

Erin stepped in front of the man and hugged him hard.

"They'll be okay," she stated. "I know they will be."

Trapper gratefully returned the embrace.

"Thanks Squirt," he responded.

"Doctor Macintyre, can I have a word?"

Trapper looked up and saw a tall, red haired man in a uniform standing in front of him. His voice was calm. Trapper let go of Erin, feeling a little more relaxed. He nodded his head. Hawkeye also took a step forward.

"Dr, Pierce," the man acknowledged.

BJ watched as the two men followed the police officer. Trapper appeared to be more relaxed then he was a few minutes ago.

He kissed Erin on top of the head.

"Good girl," he whispered in her ear.

"I'm Sergeant Brady," the cop introduced himself and offered his hand. The two men shook it hesitantly. "I guess you could say I'm second in command of this mess."

"Hope you're better than your boss," Hawkeye stated, looking over at the man who was being helped up by a few of the officers.

The man chose to ignore the comment.

"I thought I'd give you're the rundown on what's happening. I just ordered six more cars to search the immediate area. If they don't find anything, they'll keep on moving out. My partner and I just got done interviewing Doctor Freidman. It seems like we're dealing with an interesting character."

"He's not so interesting when he's got my little girl," Trapper growled.

"Sorry Doctor, I wasn't trying to joke. Apparently you've had experiences with him during the war. What do you think he's capable of?"

"The man thought he was the damn wind and threw himself out of window," Hawkeye scoffed. "Does that give you an idea?"

"If you could rank Holleran's intelligence on a scale of one to ten, what would it be?"

"How is this relevant?" Trapper asked.

"I'm just trying to get an idea of the man we're dealing with. I have Doctor Friedman's opinion, now I'm trying to get yours.

"I thought the man was a paranoid idiot, but after what Sidney said, I don't know," Trapper answered with a sigh.

"Dr. Friedman says a lot of what will happen is going to deal with the personality who took Doctor Whinchester and Kathy." Brady answered. "We're hoping he slips up. Winchester has dealt with the man before?"

"Yeah," Hawkeye stated. "Managed to pull one over his head."

"That could work to our advantage," Brady mused. "He might figure outsmart Hollaran, or whatever he calls himself."

"And if he doesn't?" Trapper asked.

Brady paused and looked kindly at the two men.

"Look, why don't the two of you go home? There's nothing else you can really do here."

"No," Trapper stated firmly.

"What if Kathy tries to call?" Brady asked. "Don't you want to be there if she does?"

"He's got a point Trap," Hawkeye stated.

"I don't know," Trapper sighed. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"I promise to let you know if anything happens. There will be close contact between me and the officers at your house. Besides, I think Dr. Friedman would like to talk to you."

"About what?'

"Well, you know Flagg better than anyone. You've got a better chance of finding him than any of us."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?' Hawkeye asked.

"I'm not suggesting anything Doctor Pierce. All I know that if my kids were missing, I'd be tearing the city apart looking for them."

"Brady, get over here!!" Warren called.

Brady cringed.

"It was nice to see that guy get kicked in the ass," he chuckled. "I bet the brass just loved you when you were in the army."

"We were on speaking terms often," Hawkeye smiled.

"I'll bet," Brady smiled and walked away.

The two men watched him go. BJ walked over.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"I think we just hired to play Sherlock Holmes," Hawkeye stated.

Trapper turned around looked out across the city.

"How are we going to find them out there?' he sighed, dejectedly.

"We'll find them Trap," BJ stated firmly. "Charles will take care of her."

"If I know Kat, she's already trying to figure a way out."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Trapper answered.


End file.
